Colossians 2:4 – 3:4 – Union With Christ
- Study Index for COLOSSIANS by Chester McCalley
-
Colossians Outline
Colossians 1 – 2:3: Glory of Jesus Christ
Colossians 2:4 – 3:4 – Union With Christ
Colossians 3:5 – 4:1 – Christian Conduct
Our Union with Jesus Christ
or in Him we are Complete
THE THREAT TO OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST 2:4-8
THE METHODS OF FALSE TEACHING 2:4-5
False Teaching Aims to Deceive 2:4a
Paul’s teaching, at this point, rests upon a realistic assumption: A
believer can be deceived by false teaching. We would do well to
remind ourselves of the character of those who stood in danger
and needed warning. They were full of faith and love (1:4, 8), and
they were standing firm at the time Paul wrote (2:5).
The word delude is a compound verb that means to reason off to the
side. It denotes clever argument. This may be accomplished by
withholding some of the facts, as Genesis 29:25-26 shows, or by
creation of an appearance contrary to the facts, as Joshua 9:1-9, 22
illustrates.
False Teaching Uses Plausible Arguments 2:4b
The words persuasive argument translate a single Greek word that
refers to the skill of using words to gain a desired end, whether
good or evil. Satan is the master counterfeiter, and he trains his
servants well.
False Teaching Can be Successfully Resisted 2:5
The Colossian believers had responded with good discipline. Again,
this is a single Greek word, a military term meaning fixed ranks. The
troops in Colossae had not been scattered by the enemy; they had maintained their ranks well. Another military term is found in the
word steadfastness. It was used to describe the Roman phalanx.
THE PROTECTION AGAINST FALSE TEACHING 2:6-8
Their Continued Walk 2:6-7
What does the word as, which begins verse 6, mean? First, it may
mean keep walking on the basis of the same principle on which you were
saved, i.e., faith. Second, it may mean keep walking on the same basis
that you received Him, i.e., as deity. The latter idea seems to fit the
context best. The false teachers were attacking the deity and
authority of Christ, and the Colossians needed to stand firm in
their convictions concerning Him.
In these two verses, Paul makes reference to their past experience
and their present condition. First, their past experience is noted by
the words firmly rooted, a perfect participle pointing to past completed action with abiding results. This is a reference to their initial
salvation experience. Second, their present condition is stated using
two present tense participles, being built up and established. Christ
and doctrine are our protection from error. All of this occurred just
as you (they) had been instructed. What might have happened to
them had they not been instructed?
Their Daily Threat 2:8
The Danger of False Teaching
The danger is introduced by the words see to it. As long as we are in
this world, we are never out of the danger zone. Paul does not
want them to become kidnaped Christians.
The Description of False Teaching
It is described as philosophy. This is the only place where this word
is found in the Bible. In a good sense, philosophy is the search for
clarity and understanding of the whole of reality. In a bad sense, as
it is used here, it is human speculation about man’s basic questions
that deny the authority of God’s written revelation. The gnostic
teaching, which the false teachers were attempting to bring, was a
syncretic mixture of Judaism, Hellenism, and Christian vocabulary.
The Source of False Teaching
The traditions of men point to a dual source. There were the traditions of Judaism, referred to in Matthew 15:7-9; and there were the
secular Greek speculative systems.
The Content of False Teaching
This is expressed as the elementary principles of the world. Gnosticism
was nothing but “ABC’s” compared to the fullness that was in Christ.
The Deficiency of False Teaching
It is deficient because it is not according to Christ.
THE GLORY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST 2:9-15
HE IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR INADEQUACY 2:9-10
The Fullness of the Son 2:9
The word for connects verses 8 and 9 together. It introduces the
reason why philosophy is not only dangerous, but unnecessary.
The most common pursuits of men are things (I Timothy 6:17),
people (Isaiah 40:6-8), and human ideas (Colossians 2:8). The only
true completeness comes from knowing Him who is fully complete.
The word fulness was a favorite of the gnostics. In their view, it was
distributed and was not found in one single place alone. Paul
counters that fullness is found in one single person, Jesus Christ.
The words deity and bodily make two points about the person of
Christ. First, He has sufficient power to help us, for He is God.
Second, He has sufficient heart to help us, for He is man.
The Fullness of the Sons 2:10
The words made complete are the same as fulness in verse 9. Our
fullness comes from His fullness; our completeness derives from
His completeness. See also John 1:16 and Ephesians 3:17-19.
HE IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR SIN NATURE 2:11
“..and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made
without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ…”
Christ’s death was for both sin and sins. Christ’s death on the cross
severed our connection to the sin nature in that we do not have to say yes to its urgings. This is the same concept that is taught in Romans 6.
HE IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR GUILT 2:12-14
Our Former Condition 2:13a
The pre-salvation condition of the Colossian Christians is described
by the noun dead. The key idea in this word is that of separation.
Separation of the soul and spirit from the body is called physical
death. Separation of man from God is called spiritual death. Those
who are spiritually dead operate in two spheres—sins and sin. Sins
refers to the acts which they do, and sin speaks of the nature that
dominates and determines them.
Our Present Union 2:13b
Our life is due to union with Christ.
Our Present Forgiveness 2:13c-14
The word translated forgiven is important and enlightening. It is the
verb charizomai, which is linked to the word charis, which means
grace. The most important accomplishment of God’s grace is God’s
forgiveness. Notice that forgiveness is stated as a fact, not a potential. It is something to be believed, irrespective of how we may feel.
It may well be that the sin of failing to believe that we are forgiven
may be worse than the sins that required forgiveness in the first
place.
The words having canceled out translate a word that means to wipe
away. It was used of smearing out letters on a wax tablet. It was
also used of the removal of an item from an account. The term
certificate of debt was used of an IOU statement. There were really
two superscriptions over the cross: one written by man saying,
“This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37), and one written by God and found here in Colossians 2:14.
IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR ARCH-ENEMY 2:15
“When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public
display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”
The words triumphed over were used of the leading of a victory
processional by a conquering general. This privilege was a coveted honor for military commanders. In order to lead such a parade,
there were four requirements. First, one had to be the actual field
commander. Second, one had to lead a complete and totally successful campaign. Third, large portions of the enemy troops had to
be vanquished. Fourth, there had to be a positive extension of
occupied territory.
THE OBLIGATIONS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST
2:16-3:4
NEGATIVELY, WE MUST REFUSE RELIGIOUS PERFORMANCE 2:16-23
By Remaining Free of Legalism 2:16-17
“Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Not only is the believer to stay free of legalism, but he is to refuse
to allow the legalist to put him on a guilt trip. The rituals under the
Law were shadow theology. They foreshadowed realities yet to
come. It is not appropriate to hold on to the shadows when what
they predicted has come. A photograph of a friend is pleasant
when the friend is not present, but their personal presence
demands that our eyes be on them, not the photograph.
By Remaining Free of False Spirituality 2:18-19
“Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in selfabasement and the worship of angels, taking his stand on visions he has
seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to
the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by
the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.”
The Self-Abasement Program
The self-abasement Paul is talking about is the type in which one
abases oneself and then becomes proud of one’s humility. It says, “I
don’t mind suffering silently as long as everyone knows about it.”
The False Worship Program
The worship of angels allows praise to be directed to beings other
than God. While it is true that angels are instruments in the hands
of the Lord, it is false worship to heap praise on the instrument.
The Experience Program
This is expressed by the words taking his stand on visions he has seen.
Our experience is to be based squarely on the word of God; visions
points to experiential and emotional orientation.
The Problem with These Programs
All of these programs have a fatal flaw: They do not recognize the
total adequacy of Jesus Christ. They are programs, and true
Christianity focuses about a person.
By Remaining Free of Asceticism 2:20-23
“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world,why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees,
such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasementand severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”
Behind the instruction in these verses lies a problem: How can
man’s nature be controlled? God’s solution is simple and drastic—
death is the solution. The word if introduces a first class conditional
sentence, which assumes the statement to be true. God dealt with
the sin nature of every believer at the cross by severing our connection with it (Romans 5, II Corinthians 5:14, and Galatians 2:19). The
sin nature is present, but we are freed from the obligation to obey
it. The world handles man’s problem of the sin nature by denying
its existence and blaming man’s environment instead.
There are at least five errors involved in attempting spirituality by
legalistic practices. First, it contradicts God’s method of dealing
with the sin nature, namely, by death (2:20). Second, it is negative
in character—“Don’t touch, don’t taste, don’t handle” (2:21). The
Christian life is an expression, not a suppression. Third, legalism
has nothing behind it but human authority (2:22). Fourth, it
involves a false display (2:23). Fifth, it does not honor God, but
rather honors the flesh (2:23).
POSITIVELY, WE MUST RECOGNIZE OUR POSITION IN CHRIST 3:1-4
Union with Christ: Its Features
Our Position Relative to the Past
First, we have been raised up. Second, we have died (3:3 identity with His death cuts us off from our old life. Our identity
with His resurrection connects us to our new life. This position is to
have practical effect on how we live as 3:3, 5, 9-10 will show.
Our Position Relative to the Present
This is expressed in the words hidden with Christ, which point to
our secure relationship. The term with Christ in God puts a double
lock on the door of security. It also indicates that which is secret.
We have resources available to us that are unknown and unseen to
man.
Our Position Relative to the Future
The words will be revealed look to our future glorification.
Union with Christ: Our Mental Obligation
The word seeking carries the sense of making an examination. It
does not imply pursuing something that is trying to elude us. The
reference to things above points to spiritual truths and realities. That
Christ is seated indicates salvation is complete and finished.
APPLICATIONS FOR LIVING
We must always be alert to the possibility of falling to false teaching no matter how well established we may think we are (2:4-5).
We must learn to trust the adequacy of Christ for every area of life. Our walk is in Him (2:6), our rooting is in Him (2:7), our foundation is in Him (2:7), our completeness is in Him (2:10), our victory is in Him (2:11), and our life is in Him (2:13).
Any valid Christian experience must accord with sound doctrine (2:18). Every experience must answer two questions: Is its source God, man, or Satan, and what does it mean? The answers to these must come from the word of God
- Study Index for COLOSSIANS by Chester McCalley
-
Colossians Outline
Colossians 1 – 2:3: Glory of Jesus Christ
Colossians 2:4 – 3:4 – Union With Christ
Colossians 3:5 – 4:1 – Christian Conduct
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